Fabric printing machines



Nov. 8, 1960 c. MAssoN FABRIC PRINTING MACHINES Filed Nov. 6, 1958 2a /Af/ IN V EN TOR.

United States Patent FABRIC PRINTING MACHINES Claudius Masson, 273 Rue de Crequi, Lyon, France Filed Nov. 6, 195s, ser. No. 772,361

Claims priority, application France Nov. 21, 1957 1 Claim. (Cl. 101-126) This invention relates to fabric printing machines wherein the printing operation is effected on a printing table by means of stencils and the like.

In the conventional method the fabric to be printed is stretched on a table of relatively great length whereon it is secured by any appropriate means, as for instance by being glued on an undercloth which is itself pinned on the table. The operators then dispose on the fabric at one end of the table a frame whereon the printing stencil is stretched, they perform a first printing operation and then move the frame longitudinally of the table to another position for the next operation; and so on.

The stencil frame may conveniently be carried by a carriage longitudinally movable along the table and the successive positions to be given to this carriage may be pre-determined by means of adjustable stops associated to the carriage supporting rails.

In order to avoid the cumbersome printing tables of the conventional method it has been proposed to move the fabric on a relatively short table. The printing machine then comprises an endless band the operative side or run of which is arranged to slide on the said table, this band being passed on appropriate end drums. The fabric to be printed is laid on the said endless band and Whenever the portion thereof situated on the table has been printed, the band is moved to bring on the table the next unprinted zone of the fabric.

A drawback of these machines is that if good results are to be obtained, the zone of the fabric which is to be printed should rest on a soft underlayer of substantial thickness. In the conventional printing tables this is provided by covering the table with a felt or the like. In the endless band machines the printing table may also be provided with a felt or rubber layer, but the difficulty is that this layer hinders in a considerable manner the sliding movement -of the endless band. The latter has therefore a tendency to sl-ip on its driving drums or even to crease on the table, which causes irregularities in the position of the fabric under the stencil frame.

An object of this invention is to avoid this diiiiculty and to provide a printing machine wherein the endless band which carries the fabric to be printed may be moved without any risk of slip or of creases.

In accordance with this invention the main endlessl band is in part supported by auxiliary metallic bands, preferably disposed under the lateral portions of the main band, the said auxiliary metallic bands being perforated and cooperating with pegs provided on the periphery of the drums which support the main band. In a iirst embodiment the said pegs are disposed in the bottom of grooves provided in the periphery of the drums, adjacent each end thereof, in order to remain spaced from the underside of the main endless band which covers the said grooves. In another embodiment the pegs are disposed on the drums beyond the edges of the main endless band, the width of which is smaller than the width or axial length of the drums, and the auxiliary metallic bands are wide enough to engage the underside of the ice main endless band, the diameter of each end of the drums being slightly reduced to bring the upper side of the auxiliary metallic bands ilush'with the periphery of the central portion of the drums, i.e. with theunderside of the band.

In the annexed drawings:

Fig. 1 is a general diagrammatical view of a printing machine according to this invention.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged fragmental longitudinal section of one end thereof showing one of the driving drums.

Fig. 3 is a transverse section takenpalong line III---IIIA of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a fragmental section taken along line IV-IV of Fig. 2, this Fig. 4 showing at II-II the line of section corresponding to the said Fig. 2.

Fig. 5 is a fragmental transverse section of another embodiment of this invention.

-The printing machine illustrated in Figs. l to -4 comprises an endless band 1 made of a practicallyvinexten, sible material, such as a strong cloth or an appropriate thermoplastic substance. This endless band is supported by two end drums 2, the hubs 2a of which are keyed on transverse shafts 3. One of the latter carries a driving gear 4 (Fig. 3) appropriately connected with a suitable driving motor.

Each drum 2 is formed adjacent each one of its ends with a circular U-shaped groove 2b of reduced depth. The at bottom of each groove 2b is provided with a row of equally spaced pegs 6 adapted to form a pegged wheel. And the four pegged wheels thus formed carry two auxiliary endless metallic bands 7 provided with perforations adapted to correspond with pegs 6. lt will be appreciated that bands 7 thus form what may be called a rigid connection between both drums 2 which must rotate in unison exactly at the same speed, i.e. in perfect synchronism, without any possible relative slip.

Between the cylinders 2 there is disposed a horizontal printing table 8, the upper side of which lies substantially in the plane of the upper run of the endless band 1. Table 8 is provided with an appropriate soft covering 9. The endless band 1 is somewhat wider than table 8 and its lateral or marginal portions extend laterally on both sides thereof, as shown in Fig. 4. On each side of table 8 are disposed rollers 10 rotatably carried by pins 11 supported by the machine frame. Rollers 10 serve to support the above-described auxiliary metallic bands 7 the upper side of which is -in contacting engagement with the underside of the main band 1.

The lower run of the main endless band 1 passes through two spring tensioning devices'12 and between the latter three rotating brushes 13 are arranged to clean band 1, these brushes being in some cases associated with water-spraying means, not illustrated.

It will be appreciated that the lateral metallic bands 7 ensure a frictional drive of the marginal portions of the main band 1 along the whole length thereof on both sides of table 8. This additional drive of band 1 prevents the formation therein of creases or other defects and ensures correct operation of the printing machine. It will be remarked that metallic bands 7 being in contact with the bottom of grooves 2b are Ithemselves driven at a somewhat lower linear speed than. main band 1 which passes on the periphery of drums 2. But in actual practice the ditference is quite small and it is easily taken into account by longitudinal extension or contraction of .band 1, by the unavoidable minor slip thereof, etc.

Fig. 5 illustrates a modilied embodiment wherein the above-mentioned speed dilference is wholly suppressed. In this embodiment drums 2 are of somewhat increased width or axial length to provide free marginal spaces whereon the driving pins 6 are arranged. The perforated metallic bands 7 which cooperate with pins 6 extend Amaratea .s laterally-and inwardly to engage the underside of the main band 1, as shown. The diameter of the ends of each drum 2 is very slightly reduced to bring the outer sides of bands 7 flush Vwith the periphery of the central portionv of thesaid drums, i.e. with the underside of band 1.

I claim:

AA printing machine for sheet material such as fabric and the like comprising a stationary printing table whereon the sheet material is to be disposed for the printing operation; a main unperforated endless band slidably passing on said -printing table to carry the sheet material to be printed and returning under said table, said band being substantially widerrthan said printing table and having marginal portions which extend laterally on each side of said table; two rotatable drums each disposed at one end of. said printing table to carry said main unperforated movable endless band, each of said drums being formed at both ends with a U-shaped groove adapted to be covered by each ofrsaid marginal portions of said main unperforated endless band; a circular row of radially projecting pegs in the bottom of each of said grooves, said pegsV being shorter than the depth of said grooves; a pair of auxiliary perforated metallic endless strips of reduced Width with respect to said main unperforated endless band, each Vof said strips being disposed on one lateral side of Istrips and to cause said strips to support in turn said marginal portions of said main unperforated endless band.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 707,579 Gestetner` Aug. 26, 1902 1,035,433 Gaumont -..Angl-13, 1912 1,363,941 White s Dec. 28, 1920 2,019,375 Wheelwrig'ht Oct. 29, 1935 2,206,570 Johnston July 2, 1940 2,217,133 Overlock Oct.a8, 1940 2,226,807 lDeSave 2 Dec. V31, 1940 "2,302,152 Snyder v..f Nov. 17, 1942 2,462,376 Fleisheret al. l.' Feb.22, 1949 n. FOREIGNPATENTS 252,103 Germany Oct. 14, 1912 349,599 lGermany Mar. 6, 1922 

